Small Businesses Employing Disabled People – The Law and

Small Businesses Employing
Disabled People – The Law
and Practice
Presentation by Michelle
Valentine, Practice Development
Officer, DRC.
Our overall goal
‘A society where all disabled
people can participate fully as
equal citizens’
What we are
•
The DRC was set up in April 2000 as enforcement
body for the DDA
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We are independent
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Offices in Manchester, Cardiff, Edinburgh and
London – 180 staff many are disabled people
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We aim to work in partnership with small and large
businesses, public sector and voluntary
organisations
•
We want to win hearts and minds, not just court
cases
DDA Part I
• Definition of Disability
• “a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial, long
term, adverse effect on ability to carry out normal day to day
activities”
• Day to day activities:
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Mobility
Manual dexterity
Physical co-ordination
Continence
Ability to lift, carry or move everyday objects
Speech, hearing or eyesight impairments
Memory, ability to concentrate, learn or understand
Being able to recognise physical danger
DDA Part I – Continued
Also covers people with severe disfigurements
Can also cover progressive conditions such as:
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HIV infection
Cancer
Multiple Sclerosis
Muscular dsytrophy
Registered disabled people – DDA removed green
card scheme and 3% quota system
The Act can cover people who have had a disability
in the past even if they have recovered – often
important for people who have had mental health
problems
Part II
What is Discrimination?
2 Main Types of Discrimination:
• Direct Discrimination
• Failure to make reasonable adjustments
Justification not possible in either case
Also harassment and victimisation will also be
unlawful
Part II
Reasonable Adjustments
• Recruitment and
selection
• Training
• Promotion
• Career Development
• Transfer
• Employment
arrangements
• Retention - e.g.
allocating some of the
disabled person’s duties
to another person
• buildings, furniture,
equipment
Key Points for SB’s
• Disabled people have useful
knowledge, skills and experience to
offer an employer
• Many reasonable adjustments can be
done at little or no cost
• SB’s will only be expected to do what is
reasonable
• There is help available
What help is there?
• Local jobcentre – Access to Work,
Disability Employment Advisers
• Disabled people in your community
• Support from Business Links
• The DRC free Helpline and
publications
How you can reach us
DRC Helpline
Telephone 08457 622633
Textphone 08457 622644
email: [email protected]
Website - www.drc-gb.org
You can also subscribe to our monthly
email bulletin via the website